NEWARK, N.J. (4/6/16) – The Kean University softball team scored 14 unanswered runs to sweep NJAC rival Rutgers-Newark in a conference doubleheader on Wednesday by scores of 6-3 and 8-0. The Cougars improved to 4-0 in conference play and junior Dana Knapp tied Kean's single-season homerun record with her seventh blast of the year.
In the first game, Kean trailed 3-0 entering the fourth inning. Knapp, who went 3-for-3 in the game with three extra-basehits, began the frame with a triple to leftfield. Amanda Berezny drove her in for the first Kean run.
In the fifth inning, Emily Sabo, who went 4-4 in the game, singled and came around to score on Knapp's double to cut the RU lead to one. After Sara Vocisano and Olivia Zengel singled in the sixth, Sabo came through again with a 2-RBI triple to leftfield to flip the lead over to Kean, 4-3.
The Cougars added two more runs in the seventh – Vocisano, Caroline Ratti and Katie Garbarino had hits and Tiffany Varriello drove in a run as Kean completed the comeback.
Kelsey Lucas, the Rutgers No. 2 batter, whacked a two-run homerun in the first inning to put RU in front early. But despite those first two batters coming around to score, Kean starter Kiele Eichlin got the next 21 outs without allowing another earned run for the seven-inning complete-game win. She struck out 10 Scarlet Raiders on the way to her fifth victory of the year.
In the second game, Cougar hurler Shannon McMahon and the Kean offense dominated; McMahon tossed her second-straight shutout and Kean got eight runs in the first four innings to send everyone home early.
McMahon allowed just two hits and struck out three batters as she improved to 6-3 on the year.
Knapp (pictured left) tied the Kean single-season homerun record in style with a two-out second inning grand slam that blew the game open and made the score 6-0. It was her seventh homer of the season and tied her with Sara Steinman on top of the single-season leaderboard with only 20 games played thus far.
Zengel had three hits in the game to lead Kean. Vocisano, Berezny and Knapp all had two apiece. Knapp drove in six of Kean's eight runs and Berezny had the other two RBIs on a first inning single down the leftfield line.
The Cougars will be back in action on Thursday when they travel to Lebanon Valley College for two games beginning at 3 p.m.
